NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CAMPUS ALERT: POLICE INVESTIGATE ANONYMOUS THREAT IN RESIDENCE HALL

[seemslikeadream]

email sent to my daughter

CAMPUS ALERT: POLICE INVESTIGATE ANONYMOUS THREAT IN RESIDENCE HALL



Details: NIU officials are investigating a threat posted late Saturday evening in a campus residence hall which included a racial slur and references to the Virginia Tech shootings.

Written in black ink on a restroom wall in the Grant Towers D complex were two separate entries claiming that "things will change most hastily" in the final days of the current semester.

"Tell those n---ers to go home," the first entry reads. "ME / OUT ... Die Sem Burr 10th ... Hmz Sdn Cr." Officials believe the text message-style shorthand refers to "December 10" and " Holmes Student Center ." Underlined letters within the first entry spell out the word "WATCH."

Following the initial entry is a second set of comments reading "What time? The VA tech shooters messed up w/ having only one shooter ..."

University leaders have notified all students, faculty and staff about the threats through postings on the NIU website, all-campus email, voicemail, fliers and area news media. Security in and around the residence halls, student center and other campus buildings has also been increased, and the campus remains under a security alert through the end of the semester.

Additional communications and offers of assistance for students, faculty, staff and visitors will continue throughout the week. Updated information will be provided as it becomes available on the university website at http://www.niu.edu .

"My primary concern is for the safety of all members of our campus community, and to that end, we will err on the side of caution in all our actions," said NIU President John Peters. "We will not tolerate threats against individuals or groups," Peters said, "nor will we tolerate 'hate speech' of any type on this campus."

Final exams will proceed as scheduled, and university officials said students and staff should remain "calm but vigilant." Anyone with information about the threats is urged to contact the NIU Tipline at (815) 753-TIPS, or their local Crimestoppers or law enforcement agency.

[Guaranteed]

1. Wouldn't it be tragic if someone got killed because they didn't know

what "NIU" stood for, and the acronym was not explained even once in the article itself?

[blondeatlast]

4. Northern Illinois University. I had to look it up myself.

:shrug:

[cr123105]

21. LOL

Well, considering that this was an internal email message sent to all NIU students, one would hope we all know what our school's acronym is. :)

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. What's NIU?

[Guaranteed]

3. Northern Illinois University- I THINK. nt

[seemslikeadream]

5. Sorry everyone I changed the OP

[DS1]

6. wow, real fucking brain on this one

The VA tech shooters messed up w/ having only one shooter


uh huh

drunking prank, is my guess

[seemslikeadream]

7. My daughter has finals tomorrow so she kinda doesn't want to guess

and maybe it was the emailer that messed up that word

[DS1]

9. I think there's already a market for kevlar equipped backpacks

might be a good Christmas present for her and your family

[seemslikeadream]

10. .

[DS1]

11. What?

[seemslikeadream]

12. Take a guess

[DS1]

13. I meant the suggestion in total sincerity

It might make her feel better through future incidents, as well as provide some more peace of mind. I didn't suggest it was a solution for tomorrow.

Still. You are free to fly off the handle.

Goodbye.

[seemslikeadream]

14. fine but the way you first came into this thread

it left me with the impression otherwise

[DS1]

15. I was

I'd have looked them up for you if you'd asked, but instead...

[seemslikeadream]

16. I'm sorry for the mis understanding we are very upset right now

she's a medical student, senior with extremely difficult classes and doesn't need this on her mind tomorrow

[DS1]

17. Obviously some calls to the staff of the Uni would be wise

to find out how they are beefing up security. It would be wise to have some of the local police on site, since most campus police aren't armed.

http://www.backpackshield.com/

[thetrukillat]

18. re

niu police have guns. plus the dekalb police are always around campus. niu has a small campus which is easy to monitor. i think it was just a hoax to cancel finals.

[seemslikeadream]

19. Easy to monitor?

[thetrukillat]

20. what i mean

is that its easier to monitor than lets U of I, VT, or any other school. The cop to building ratio is smaller. Its more under control.

[thetrukillat]

27. d

d

[madrchsod]

8. i`m not surprised that this would happen

in dekalb, it`s a strange city. there are a lot of neo nazi`s floating around this area but who knows if it`s them or some asshole who thinks they are being cute. i hope they find who ever is behind his shit and hang them high. so does your daughter like the school in the cornfield?

[cr123105]

24. We're not some hick town school

I'm proud to be part of the "school in the cornfield", considering it is one of the best in the state as far as public universities go. My graduate program only takes 25 students per year, and last year, when I applied, there were over 300 applicants for those spots. Getting into this program and graduating from it says a lot. I've been receiving job offers since my first semester here, in fact. My husband and I have found this community to be warm and accepting, not at all strange as implied. As for neo Nazi's, I have yet to meet any, although I think they're present in any given community. My husband is Latino and we are both bilingual, and we have found more acceptance here than in any other place we have lived. You were probably kidding around, but I take offense to the implications of your message.

I do agree that they need to find the jerk responsible for this and make them pay.

[madrchsod]

25. i know dekalb well i worked their for over 5 years

and live 40 miles away and do all my big box shopping there. fact i was just at the salvation army store last friday..great place. the "college in the cornfield" is an old joke around the suburbs and out here. it`s a very good college at different times it`s has the best depts in the usa. back in the 60`s the art dept was as good as any in the country. there are quite of few neo nazi`s in the area some are hard core and some are punk wannebe`s..what i find "strange" which upon your taking offense was`t an apt description,it`s a small town with a big college so it`s never really made up it`s mind. traditional college town or a commuter college for the suburbs and surrounding area.
the college was going to be built in either dekalb or dixon il. we lost out to dekalb because the barb wire boys had more political pull and that that time dixon had a business college..

[cr123105]

22. NIU closes campuses

All NIU campuses are closed today, and today's finals have been rescheduled for Friday. It looks like NIU is taking this very seriously. As an NIU graduate student, I'm glad this is the case, but I'm also angry that some idiot has to ruin the end of the semester for everyone else. We have all worked and studied so hard, and just want to get our finals over with. We shouldn't have to be afraid to go to school.

[seemslikeadream]

23. Thanks

My daughter has studied so hard for her exams and this is one thing she should have not had to worry about today

[cr123105]

26. Opening tomorrow

Looks like they're opening NIU tomorrow and resuming classes as normal. They said they do not feel this situation is an imminent threat any longer, and have some leads. Looks like they brought in the big boys; the NIU official messsage cited University, local, state, and federal agencies were working the case. Anyway, the funny thing now is that we're supposed to be getting an ice storm tonight, so it wouldn't surprise me if they close NIU tomorrow for weather, LOL!